We began our 4th of July partying very early this year. Actually, we began on June 30th. We took the boys to the Scera Theater to see "Toy Story 3." We really liked it. Like most Pixar movies, it made me cry. We let the boys have lots of candy at the movie and pizza for dinner when we arrived home. Party mode...
On Thursday we dropped J off at work in Salt Lake and went to Wheeler Historic Farm.
When we got out of the van in the parking lot, O heard the rooster and so we had to find it. We stood by the chicken coop for a good 15 minutes before O would let us continue on. We saw pigs, goats, cows, horses, turkeys, ducks, Eeyores, sheep, and rabbits. It was hot, but a lot of fun. I spent $2.13 on a bag of duck feed and 4 candy sticks -- money well-spent.
When we picked J up from work, we drove up to Snowbird Ski Resort and took the tram to the top of the mountain. The boys had a great time playing in the snow in July...
...and scaring their mom by dancing around at the edge of the mountain.
On Friday we geared up for Saturday, which began at 6 AM with the Freedom Festival Balloon Fest...
It was too windy for the balloons to launch while we were there, but the Coca-Cola bottle balloon alone was worth it.
When we came home from the balloon fest, J took off up Dry Canyon for a hike to the top of Mt. Baldy in Lindon. I took the kids to their first ever Home Depot Kids Workshop where they made periscopes. I was partial to this particular project because I remember my brother making his own periscope when we were young. I loved that thing -- it was so cool.
When J came home I took off for Pleasant Grove to make shirts with my friend and sisters-in-law for the Freedom 5K. We had hot pink tank tops that said, "Hot Mamas" on the back and were embellished with rhinestones.
When we were done, I brought my niece home with me, much to the delight of S. Her sister and parents joined us later for a hamburger dinner and s'mores over a campfire. Here is O, who was brandishing his 3-pronged hot dog roaster and yelling, "By the power of Greyskull!"
H decided he didn't need the whole s'more and just kept sneaking chocolate pieces.
J put on a fireworks show for us which rivaled the Stadium of Fire, in my opinion.
On Sunday J's mom and step-dad joined us in church for the first time since moving into our ward. The kids could not contain their excitement!
When we got home, J's sister, her husband, and two girls came for dinner and to spend the night. We carbed up for the 5K the next day with a pasta dinner. Then we lit sparklers and marveled that none of the 5 kids running hell-bent around the yard with them got burned. Alisa's husband is an MA. He brought her an IV from work and gave her some fluids to get her nice and hydrated for her first 5K.
Our Monday began with the 5K. Here we are at the finish. It was lots of fun. We are going to do the 10K next year, for anyone that wants to join us.
We watched the parade, but missed the Utah Highway Patrol (my favorite part), the BYU Marching Band (my second favorite part), but were able to see the American Fork Marching Band (who doesn't love them?) and the tanks that shot off their guns at the end of the parade (of course my boys' favorite part).
In the afternoon we visited with J's Grandpa Squire, who kept our boys well-supplied with ice cream, sour cream & onion chips, and chocolate. Grandpa showed off his garden. I think his blackberries are on steroids.
On Tuesday we tried to get back to normal but failed. Tuesday evening J gave a presentation for our Relief Society Night Out on "Survival Kit in an Altoid Can." It was pretty impressive.
Again, on Wednesday we tried to get back to normal but failed. This time, we took a picnic lunch up to South Fork and played in the freezing cold water.
On Thursday I went to the podiatrist who merrily told me that I could call him if I need him and sent me on my way.
On Friday, the boys and I went fishing up Fairview Canyon with J's mom, step-dad, step-sister and her kids, step-brother #1 and his wife and kids, and step-brother #3. It was beautiful -- sunny, not too hot, not too crowded.
O waited patiently for a bite on his line...
...but it was S who caught the second biggest fish of the day!
Around the time the kids started to get hungry for the hot dogs Grandpa Lundgren brought, the clouds had rolled in and the day turned cold.
We ended up coming back to our house and having a party with all the fishermen. I learned how to gut a fish (this video is for my mom's benefit/amusement, so really, you don't have to watch it unless you're my mom or you really want to)...
...and this is what the boys thought of it.
On Saturday we had one last party with step-brother #1's family before they headed back to NM. Here are two of my sisters-in-law looking sassy with J's mom and our niece.
Chance, Leslee, and Cash. So cute.
As if our kids weren't worn out enough from our week of partying, we drove them up to REI in Salt Lake so J could get a few last things for his Rainier trip. Then we drove them home again, just in time for me to go to our Wasatch My Back team party. We made the decision to leave the boys home with J so they could watch "The Hobbit" (O's been walking around for the past week saying, "My precious. My precious.") and go to bed early.
It was great to spend time with family and party it up for the 4th of July. We are still trying to recover!
J leaves tomorrow for Washington and Mt. Rainier. We may continue our partying down in NM with Grandma and Grandpa Kim, but that is all news for other posts. I think this, the longest post known to man, is finally over!
